But here's a better picture. In this picture - you can see the new speakers I got for my laptop! Yay! They are wonderful.

My laptop has become my new tv. Since I don't have cable, I spend a lot of time perusing hulu.com. But the speakers on my laptop are hardly adequate to watching tv. I can barely hear the sound over Charlie running around the apartment. These speakers don't need to be plugged into the wall and they have great sound. Infact I'm enjoying them right now.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Remembers the old commercials for the boys version of the easy-bake oven? Instead of making cookies and small cakes - theirs made jelly looking bugs. They would put this gel into a mold and it would come out solid. The commercial had that ridiculous song. The only thing I remember from it is the part where the boys would jiggle the bug in the camera and the guy would sing "It's alllllive."

All that to say - my camera is alive! Yay! How I've missed it. I've realized that it's no fun to post on my blog without pictures. So be excited - because you will have a new post later that will include pictures! Even if you're not excited - I am!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Seems that the time between posts these days is ever increasing. Things really haven't changed. Charlie is still whimpering to go outside, the dishes still need to be done (though there are only 3 in the sink this time), and the night still passes all to quickly.

It's already 8 o'clock and I haven't done anything yet. Seems like as soon as I eat dinner the night is over and it's time to get ready for bed.

Today was one of those days that couldn't end fast enough. It seemed that the classes that usually go well totally bombed. Tomorrow is a new day and I'm looking forward to a fresh start. That's the nice thing about each day - you get to start over.

But now it is time for work. It's become more difficult to stop counting down the days to summer and to focus on what is right now. School is such a rollercoaster and sometimes I just want to get off the ride.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

I'm renewing my love with Paul Newman, actually - there is nothing to renew. I think he is a tremendous actor and a good man. I'm sitting in my bed writing this post and a section of the dialogue just caught my attention:

Allan: "Hows your school?"

Clara: "You mean that free-for-all I run in town? Those 350 young hellions who are making their last stand against me? I wouldn't say it was a summer on the riviera."

Ok, I changed the statement a little - Clara Varner didn't have 350 young hellions, she had 35. Lucky jerk. But anyway - School has been going well-ish. I'm trying new things and starting to see results. I just need to keep pushing through the hard stuff and then things will start to get easier. But I'm not gonna lie - I am really looking forward to summer. Charlie and I are going to have a lot of things to do and lots of places to go. I can't wait to show her off to all the folks in Illinois. I can't wait to drive to Maine and enjoy sleeping in a tent with 1 t0 5 children. I think the number of kids in my tent will depend on the night. But there better be at least 1 or I'll be scared!

For Right now I think I'll spare you the boringness of my life and leave you with some classic and some new phone pics.

Did you notice that in all the pictures of me - I had long hair? I miss it...and I'm growing it out again. And when I get the urge to cut it off, someone gently remind me that I love long hair. A slap to the face would be a good reminder

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

I just wrote all this junk about how I'm sick today. Then I erased it because it was all complaining. So here's the gist - I'm sick, I have a fever, and I want to go to my apartment and cuddle with my puppy (even though she doesn't cuddle).

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

I got a package from Mom today in the mail via amazon.com. Actually, Charlie got a package from Mom today. Mom told me she had sent something so I was excited to see what it would be. Turns out it was Charlie's favorite toy. Wait, that's not true. In fact, it turned out to SIX of Charlie's favorite toy. Can you say "over stimulation?"

The most exciting thing about this present is the fact that I got to put that old, nasty cone right where it belongs.

Monday, March 2, 2009

So as along as I'm home and enjoying the snow - I thought I'd give you and update on the pup and myself. York got hit pretty hard with snow - from 6 am until now (9am) we've gotten at lease 5 inches. Taking Charlie to the bathroom in the snow is quite an adventure. She has trouble staying focused because she wants to play in the snow and not do what she needs to do.

When I got back to the apartment Charlie was more than happy to see me. Since there was a little snow on the balcony I let her out to experience it. She lasted about 2 minutes because it was absolutely freezing - but she had fun licking the snow while she was out there. You can tell by her white mustache.

Here is Charlie and her favorite toy - I snapped this picture right before the tip of that cone hit my camera smack-dab in the lense. Oops.

She is enjoying her curtains...I mean my curtains...but sometimes she can't get in because she stands on the bottom of the curtain and tries to push her nose through the middle. Sometimes she just pops her head out to check and see that I'm still around.

Enough about Charlie. School is going well, it's slowly getting better. There are days that are just awful and days that are good. Things are really getting better. It's a nice feeling. Some days I still doubt that I should be here, but I'm working on it.

Update on the weather: Charlie and I just went out for a potty break - she had a good time. Take a look at all the snow we got!

This next photo is of the snow that fell out of her coat when I took it off.